Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Why?

I know there is always the question of why. Both from others and to myself. Why do I want to run a 100? Why would you do that? Why am I putting myself through all this training? Why do I want to "torture" myself so? And then I read this paragraph at the end of this article, and I know. I read those last four sentences (well, maybe disregarding the rhabdo, etc ;) ), and well, that is it. That is the why. Well said, Dakota. Thank you for putting into words what is oh so hard to explain and voice.

"...I’m not alone in depicting these runners in heroic terms. In the running literature, people are always “fighting cutoffs” and “emerging victorious” and “picking up the carnage” and so on. This terminology is not surprising to anyone who has spectated a 100-mile race. To watch scenes like Brendan overcoming the greatest fatigue of his life or Anna moving through a fog of agony is to be deeply impressed with the apparent superhuman qualities of the regular, mortal people we call friends in normal life. But it’s worth remembering that these people are going through such hardships entirely by choice. It’s their own damn fault for signing up in the first place. So how heroic are they, really? Yet this line of thought still does the runners some credit, since they don’t have any real reason to keep going except their own principles and wills. These runners are challenging themselves by choice, which is undoubtedly a luxury, but it’s not the same kind of luxury as a nice house or a big TV. Taking advantage of the luxury to test your limits is a way of being grateful for the health and security that gives you such a chance. A lot of people become unhealthy by overindulging in luxuries. And though ultrarunning perhaps can’t be called the “healthiest” sport (rhabdo, renal failure, IT-band syndrome, tendinitis, adrenal fatigue, etc.), it is the medium through which a lot of people aspire to be their best version of themselves. There is no better way of showing gratitude for good fortune than by making good use of it." - Dakota Jones, iRunFar